The A-9 highway connected the Sri Lankan capital with the northern Jaffna peninsula.

At first they attacked a coastal army base with a combined land and amphibious assault.

The navy engaged the LTTE flotilla of small boats, but the ground attack continued.

On April 11, the army managed, after two weeks of heavy fighting, to retake the A-9 highway and clear all rebel positions from it.

By the next day all remaining SLA troops were in retreat toward the Elephant Pass military base, which was coming under heavy LTTE artillery fire.